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HAS SHELF LIFE EXPIRED ON VIRTUAL MEETINGS? SHOULD BUDGET HEARINGS BE IN-PERSON?

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BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, DATE, 2021) — Do you remember along with THE PLANET with kids’ show on “educational TV” back in the ’70s? The theme song went:

C’mon and Zoom.

C’mon and Zoom.

C’mon and Zoom-zoom-zooma-zoom.

It’s not exactly “A Day in the Life.” And yeah, the show was called Zoom!

In Pittsfield and across America, the pandemic brought a new version of Zoom! to light. Raise your hand if you’re not familiar with the Hollywood Squares version of city council meetings.

With the pandemic on the wane, with masking and distancing being relaxed, and with vaccinations for the majority of the population, one can raise a fair question: Is it time for the Pittsfield City Council to resume public, in-persons sessions?

Ward 4 councilor Chris Connell thinks so, as does Kevin Morandi in Ward 2.

———- ooo ———-

Connell sent this message to council president Peter Marchetti:

Peter, I find it disingenuous that your decision regarding keeping the budget meetings on zoom. You are essentially barring the public who cannot communicate on zoom from voicing their opinions on the budget that effects the amount that they pay on their taxes. This is not my opinion but the voices that have spoken to me. I can only hope that you reverse your decision especially for the final budget meeting.

THE PLANET asked Marchetti’s his rational for continuing with Zoom!

Marchetti told THE PLANET:

First the legal ad for the budget public hearing was published on 5/1/2021. I believe it is important to stay consistent and provide the same process for the entire budget.

I might also add that I do not believe that zoom has cut participation.  If you wish we could take several years of budget hearings minutes and take a look at how many people have attended in person budget hearings and compare that to last year and this year once completed.

I would make the argument that public participation was higher last year but if you would like I am willing to do the research.

———- ooo ———-

Council VP Pete White backed Marchetti:

Originally Governor Baker was looking at a date in August for the “new normal” to begin. Given that the new decision to lift restrictions on May 29, 2021 was only recently made and that budget hearings are already underway it is being consistent to finish the budget process in the way they were started. Whether the meetings are in person or on Zoom there will still be barriers to public participation for some. Some people prefer to call in on Zoom and some prefer in person. For someone without transportation Zoom makes participation easier, for those less tech savvy in person could be easier. 

Also given that the last group of people made eligible to get the vaccine may or may not be fully vaccinated yet, makes going back to in person meetings a difficult choice. I know for myself, and this was not a consideration in when the Council goes back, I will not get my second Covid vaccination jab until May 28th. 

So I agree with keeping the budget hearings on Zoom. I think for some, returning to in person meetings on June 22 could still be too soon. We will need to work out the logistics will be for that first in person meeting.

———- ooo ———-

THE PLANET heard from two other councilors before our deadline.

Morandi:

No, I do not agree with the council presidents decision to keep the budget hearings on Zoom.  All meetings need to be resumed to live in person meetings as of now.
Steps and measures could have and should be taken to open up government and to make sure that all residents be given the opportunity to be heard in a live safe setting with proper health protocols in place. This can be done in a larger public venue such as the new Taconic High School auditorium. This 600-seat auditorium would provide all city residents the opportunity to be heard and seen live addressing the city council on this very important $180 million dollar municipal budget with proper social distancing measures in place for all. There is also a live feed there that would allow PCTV to broadcast the meetings live to subscribers.
Residents, taxpayers and voters deserve the right to be listened to by having their voices heard. That is what transparency and democracy should be about. After all the taxpayers have to pay the bill so they definitely should have a say but many didn’t get that opportunity. Engaging and involving the public should be of the utmost importance of city government officials. Thanks for reaching out on this very important topic.

———- ooo ———-

Earl Persip III agreed with Marchetti:

The Council President said he was waiting until June, in order to keep all budget hearings consistent. This also gives time to transition back. It makes sense to me, to be consistent with all budget hearings being the same. I haven’t heard from any residents that they disagree with this approach. I see no issue at this time.  I will be comfortable going back when I know the councilors I sit next to are fully vaccinated. I think when we do go back, we should be in a setting that provides residents the option to be 6ft apart.

———- ooo ———-

Late word from Patrick Kavey:

Kavey (Ward 5) responded this way:

Peter’s reasoning was the want to keep our hearing’s consistent. The original concern, was the breach of open meeting law, if we had to turn residents away from City Hall due to capacity restrictions. With the news of capacity restrictions being lifted on the 29th, when our hearings were already scheduled to be remote and had already begun, I understand why he made the decision to stay remote. With that being said, I would have preferred if we had utilized a gym or auditorium, so that even before the Governor’s announcement, all of our meetings would have been in an easily accessible, public space. This decision to stay remote was not mine to make, so I plan to go with the flow and look forward to our meetings returning to in-person in June. 

———- ooo ———-

It would seem like a slam dunk, to resume live meetings. It’s got to be done sometime, and what better time than the budget hearings?

Marchetti, however, makes a valid point. Why should these hearings be any different from those of the past 10 or 20 years? It’s one of the saddest displays of civic dis-involvement to see the hearing room empty except for councilors, department heads, and … and … Terry Kinnas and maybe the Great Gazoo.

Fact is, the public does not attend.

It should, but it simply does not.

Connell and Morandi are correct. The meetings should revert back to live and in-person. Marchetti, White, and Persip are correct. At this stage, what difference will it make? The public doesn’t show up. Only the vested interests do. In short, both sides are correct.

It reminds THE PLANET of the Jewish tale where two men are strenuously arguing. One advocates “A.” The other says “B.” Unable to resolve the argument, they go to the rabbi. The first, “A,” makes his case. The rabbi says, “Well reasoned. You are correct.” The second guy says, “But rabbi, you need to hear me out.” After “B” finishes, the rabbi says, “Yes, it is clear. ‘B’ is correct.” Just then, a passerby hears this and says to the rabbi, “Wait a minute. They can’t both be right.” The rabbi pauses then pronounces, “True. You are correct also.”

Have a great weekend, everybody.

—————————————————————————————-

“The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there”L.P. Hartley.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information — hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.

 

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Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
3 years ago

Do you all understand why no one shows up to Pittsfield politics’ public hearings, including on the nearly $180 proposed and record setting fiscal year 2022 municipal budget that begins on July 1st, 2021? Well, I will tell you all the reason why. Pittsfield politics practices retribution against anyone who dares to question the entrenched corruption by the incestuous group of political insiders who only do disservices against the proverbial Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski family. When one speaks out in Pittsfield politics, they become the target of the aforementioned one political party career politicians and their vested and special interests. The proverbial citizen who actually believes in democracy and honest government in Pittsfield (Massachusetts) will be at great risk of losing their job, being blacklisted from future employment, subject to vicious rumors, have false allegations made against them to the police and the Berkshire DA who reportedly may deem you as dangerous and you can end up in jail for months at a time without due process of law and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law, file state “ethics” complaints against you if your work for the government, and so on. Pittsfield politics only wants the proverbial Kapanski family to bend over and hand over their hard earned Kapanski Ka$h. Moreover, Pittsfield politics is toxic more so than GE’s toxic waste industrial chemical pollution in Pittsfield’s land, water and air. The state and local politicians in Pittsfield snitch on each other all of the time, and they have their supporters file petitions against sitting City Councilors such as Chris Connell and Yukie Cohen. Barry Clairmont even filed a lawsuit against Melissa Mazzeo for her allegations against him in the 2020 mayoral election that Barry’s wife – the Lovely Linda – won. What messages are Pittsfield politicians sending to the community? Certainly NOT nice and welcoming messages for citizens to show up at public hearings to provide public input on a record setting municipal budget that predictably increased municipal spending by 5 percent. Lastly, when I lived in Pittsfield (area) as a young man, and for many years after I moved to Southern New Hampshire in 2004, my dad, who was a Berkshire County Commissioner, and myself were the targets of every mean-spirited form of retribution in Pittsfield politics. I know what I am writing about here from my own personal experiences.

Spagirlfrommass
Spagirlfrommass
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
3 years ago

Jonathan
You are right! Absolutely right!!

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  Spagirlfrommass
3 years ago

Thank you for your compliment. Although I am right about Pittsfield politics (and other Palookavilles), I sincerely wish that common citizens would be able to exercise free speech and assembly in government without retribution from the ruling elites. The government is supposed to work for the people, not the other way around. An illustration of this is Lenox State Representative Smitty Pignatelli’s op-eds supporting GE putting a toxic waste dump in Lee (Massachusetts) that will cause local property owners’ biggest investment – their homes – to drastically plummet in value. A majority of the people who live in both Lee and Lenoxdale do not support GE’s plan to dump large quantities of their industrial chemicals into a local leaky landfill. What’s worse is that Smitty Pignatelli has a college business degree in finance, and GE has made NO financial commitment to a probable $1 billion so-called cleanup of the polluted Housatonic River over a 15 year period of time. Smitty Pignatelli also worked at Lee Bank prior to becoming a career politician in Boston’s State House of Representatives. Smitty Pignatelli knows full well that the first thing a business or public administrator looks at are the financial statements for a project such as GE’s settlement with the corrupt EPA. There are NO financial statements yet from GE because GE has made an empty promise that has upset many of Smitty Pignatelli’s constituents. The people who live in Smitty Pignatelli’s legislative district know that Pittsfield’s so-called cleanup project was a total disaster, yet Smitty Pignatelli is still doing his constituents a horrible disservice. In closing, Smitty Pignatelli is similar to most politicians who put their decades-long political careers first, while treating the proverbial Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski family like number 2!

Annulgas
Annulgas
3 years ago

What Marchetti is really saying is that the budget hearings are a sham, have always been a sham and the public knows they are a sham. So why change it? Keep in mind that he is number two in this budget process and has great power over how it eventually winds up. However, it seems almost as though he voluntarily relinquished his power as council president and follows the path laid out for him by the mayor and whoever it is that tells her what to do.

It really sucks when you have two branches of city governement and neither one of them really works for the people who elected them. What Peter is really saying to the taxpayers is “Stick it up your asses losers, I am in control here and we are doing it my way.”

And he wonders why there is such a hue and cry for a forensic audit. Duhhh, Pete. Because of shit moves like this.

Lenny
Lenny
3 years ago

Open City Hall fully.
Return to in-person meetings.
NOW!

Johnny99
Johnny99
3 years ago

Does a near shit in the woods?

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  Johnny99
3 years ago

Make that a bear.

Cuffed Linx
Cuffed Linx
Reply to  Johnny99
3 years ago

Make That! A tax collector.

JoeKapanski
JoeKapanski
Reply to  Johnny99
3 years ago

Do the homeless that live in Springside Park, Crosby, Clapp, etc shit in the woods???

Shirleyknuts
Shirleyknuts
3 years ago

They should open up but won’t because it is easier for them to hide what they are doing. Can we tell if there is side texting going on during the meetings? I can’t tell. People watch the meetings on PCTV when they are in their chamber so they are being seen and watched. I did question the legality of these meetings. They state making voters bring an ID to vote is a poll tax, what is it when you are making citizens buy the internet and computer? Who is teaching the elders how to connect? And where do they post the meeting notices? I haven’t seen any! Not only should the meetings be brought back live but they should all go back to work at city hall! Moving the meetings to live would be an improvement because guess what….they could be live and do a zoom meeting, OMG who would have thought, they be more open and transparent!! On another point, is any councilor going to vote for the tax paying citizen and cut the budget 10 %? Do it across the board. Supposedly we have smart intelligent people working for us so they will be able to figure out how to operate with less money

Shirleyknuts
Shirleyknuts
Reply to  danvalenti
3 years ago

City charter says the city leaders have to inform the public the date, time and place for the budget hearings….is my computer screen considered a place?

Merry & Bright
Merry & Bright
Reply to  Shirleyknuts
3 years ago

While working in the private sector one of my job descriptions was to create an agenda for meetings and also I would then quietly sit in on the meeting and takes notes. Had two days to send these notes out to all attendees and post on a website for all to read the outcome of the meeting. Never have seen any follow-up notes from the City Clownsil meetings or any Pittsfield Administration meetings. Why are notes not being taken and why is the City neglecting to have someone take these notes? Trying to hide information from the taxpayers again I guess?

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  danvalenti
3 years ago

The dreaded private sector has really expensive health insurance.The public sector has national subsidized healthcare paid by min wage earners paying for 80k teachers.

Ludwig Van
Ludwig Van
Reply to  Merry & Bright
3 years ago

An excellent question for Pee Pee. Why aren’t the city council minutes posted on the website like with other boards and commissions?

Shirleyknuts
Shirleyknuts
Reply to  Ludwig Van
3 years ago

By charter they are supposed to be posted and available to the public shortly after the meeting

The school committee
The school committee
3 years ago

They have no reason not to be in person if schools are open.

Annulgas
Annulgas
Reply to  The school committee
3 years ago

What if they just don’t feel like it?

The school committee
The school committee
3 years ago

The Trump overthrow of the United States Goverment is being validated by the Republican party.The white supremacist want a Trump dictatorship. Americans should never forget 1/6/2021

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  The school committee
3 years ago

Remember how the government murdered an unarmed women

Ludwig Van
Ludwig Van
Reply to  Acute Angina
3 years ago

Act a fool and get shot.

Shirleyknuts
Shirleyknuts
Reply to  Ludwig Van
3 years ago

Or get your family $27 million

Shirleyknuts
Shirleyknuts
Reply to  Shirleyknuts
3 years ago

And invited to the White House

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  Ludwig Van
3 years ago

So let’s shoot everyone doing something foolish. Great idea.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Acute Angina
3 years ago

Was she on the overthrow tour?

Cuffed Linx
Cuffed Linx
Reply to  The school committee
3 years ago

I missTrump

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Cuffed Linx
3 years ago

President Trump worked for the people and for our freedom from out of control government. Biden and his far leftists are working only for their agenda which is not people friendly. Biden’s agenda is hurting our country and this career hack wants all of us enslaved to big government.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Pat
3 years ago

Turn off Hannity and come back to America

Merry & Bright
Merry & Bright
3 years ago

So, these three jackasses feel there is no need for public meetings because no one showed to the meetings in the past! Guess it is beyond their pea-sized one-sided brains to wonder why! How convenient. Can’t count how many times in watching past Clownsil meetings I have seen taxpayers take the podium to speak about very important matters and basically shut down by PeePee Petie, most times very rudely. Wonder if he treats bank customers with the same disrespect? He feels important slamming his gavel, must excite him! Have watched as taxpayers have pleaded their issue, sometimes in tears only to receive no response from any councilor, not even a nod, just blank stares that’s if they are not staring at their cellphones, looking totally bored. Have often wondered if any one of these elected officials, including the Mayor reach out to these taxpayers after the meeting. Doubt it! Meanwhile, there is no time limit for these elected officials who needlessly grandstand because they think they are movie stars on TV. This whole meeting process needs to be restructured. Also feel that taxpayers have thrown in the towel as they have tried to voice their opinions only to have the City do the complete opposite of what taxpayers want. Just look at the vibrant, dynamic and innovative bike lanes. Taxpayers have voiced that they DO NOT want them, mainly for safety reasons but more money is going to be spent to do it all over again. Look at the cell tower issues, no help from the City. Look at the odor from the pot growing facility on Dalton Avenue, no help from the City. All this council has done and I am sure they will do it again this year, defund the police, even when taxpayers are stating they feel unsafe and want more police presence in neighborhoods and streets. Taxpayers wishes are constantly ignored in this Administration. Pittsfield taxpayers feel helpless and stuck in a mismanaged City.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  danvalenti
3 years ago

The Iron Rule of Oligarchy from the banks of the polluted Housatonic River in Pittsfield (Massachusetts) down to the swampy banks of the Potomac River in Washington, DC. If one believes he or she can stand up to government power, he or she will be eaten alive in the Oligarchs’ proverbial shark tank. The democracy we all strive for is really a rigged system that only benefits the powerful and monied interests. The ruling and corporate elites are at the top of the current K-shaped recovery/recession, while the proverbial Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski family are at the bottom. In closing, politics is a fixed game where it is “heads the Oligarchs always win, tails the Oligarchs always win while the proverbial Kapanski family always loses”!

J2S
J2S
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
3 years ago

Maya Angelou quote comes to mind:
“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the
first time.”

Gimme gimme
Gimme gimme
Reply to  danvalenti
3 years ago

Participation in local Politics around the county is really pathetic. Excluding Williamstown the turnout for local elections is awful even in Lee with a hot button topic

Why would anyone want to run for anything? Much less participate.People would rather bitch and complain from the sidelines instead of getting involved,..then you are stuck with candidates like Ed Carmel and Karen Colonowsky and the like really sad state of affairs.

Last edited 3 years ago by Gimme gimme
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Reply to  Gimme gimme
3 years ago

Don’t forget Crazy Maffucio

Ludwig Van
Ludwig Van
Reply to  Merry & Bright
3 years ago

“Consistency.” What a BS answer. If Marchetti really cared about public participation he would have brought the meetings back to city hall AND continued to offer Zoom for those who can’t attend in person.

Debra Simonetta
Debra Simonetta
Reply to  Merry & Bright
3 years ago

What a lying sack of feces Marchetti is. I did show up to a city council meeting to voice my objections to tyer promoting that other corrupt sack of feces, wynn, to permanent chief of police. When it was my turn to speak Marchetti ordered the schitty clowcilors to vacate their seats of dishonor and closed down the meeting. Someone also called the cops, they were waiting for me in the hall as I left schitty city hall. Another cop followed me from schitty hall to my home.

Rick Got The Keys to my Beamer
Rick Got The Keys to my Beamer
3 years ago

Charges dismissed by the Commonwealth after three years of slavery – charges dropped January 2019 – pandemic is an excuse for prosecutorial misconduct. Nothing to do with any pandemic – everything to do with unethical practices. Ever heard of RECUSAL. ITS A CHOICE. How many due process violations does it take to get to the tootsie roll center! Glad you ain’t my Mom & that’s saying A LOTTTT !

Auto Phil
Auto Phil
Reply to  Rick Got The Keys to my Beamer
3 years ago

What are you referring to?

Rick Got The Keys to my Beamer
Rick Got The Keys to my Beamer
Reply to  Auto Phil
3 years ago

I get that a lot ha! ha!

Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
3 years ago

As pandemic spread pain and panic, congressman chased profit

https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-government-and-politics-388628625536887fefa47b9bbca629eb

Good example of what going on with “journalism.”

Can anyone tell me from the story what party Malinowski is?

“Journalism” . . .

J2S
J2S
Reply to  Edward R. Murrow
3 years ago

This is exactly why they seek political office. Millions to be made during and after being elected to office with no consequences of gaining the dough illegally. His fellow politicians are calling it a rookie mistake by getting caught on a reporting error and only for a million.

Joe Taxpayer
Joe Taxpayer
3 years ago

What people don’t understand is Covid goes after City, State and Federal employees with a vengeance! They must hunker down and pretend to work from home. Private sector workers, not so much. Blue collar works, business as usual Covid rarely hits retail or construction workers, keep on keeping on. Time for this hypocrisy to end. All Government employees should be back to in person, full time work.

Annulgas
Annulgas
Reply to  danvalenti
3 years ago

If you have a mayor, and worse yet a large part of your city council, embedded with special interests, you really have no representation at all. Marchetti could go from embedded city council president to embedded mayoral candidate. If anyone believes the political climate in Pittsfield, Ma. will ever change through elections they are simply clueless. The special interests are the ones who recruit and financially back most candidates and regular Johnny paycheck folk have almost no chance of overcoming the power structure in a run to unseat them.

These same special interest folk, as well as the embedded poltical types, are counting on the forensic audit chatter to die down and go away. Will it? Will we roll over again and again?

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Joe Taxpayer
3 years ago

Teachers too. Their long vacation should be over. Get them off of the beaches and out of the fancy resorts and send them back to doing actual work. They are being overprotected by their far left government unions.

Peeee peee Pete
Peeee peee Pete
3 years ago

There’s not a thing in the world stopping them from having in person meetings and still having them on zoom. School kids have been doing it all year. Hybrid learning.
Pete and Pete are just fat and lazy and don’t care about anyone except themselves.
Since the year started with no access to city hall should the keep it that way for the rest of the year? Should they keep restaurants closed because that was the way it was January 1? Just because you were doing something one way because of a pandemic doesn’t mean you keep doing it that way. Does Pete and Pete plan to wear masks for the rest of the year?

Ludwig Van
Ludwig Van
Reply to  Peeee peee Pete
3 years ago

Yes the schools have managed to have every possible combination of hybrid classroom but the city council wants to milk this thing as long as they can and stay home in their sweatpants. They’re not fooling anyone.

Shirleyknuts
Shirleyknuts
3 years ago

Just looked at our city census and unfortunately the council does not reflect the community. 87% of the council should be white, 4.5% black, 7% Hispanic, the rest are considered other…does that mean our council should be 8 white people and the others can share the last spot?

Shirleyknuts
Shirleyknuts
Reply to  Shirleyknuts
3 years ago

Wait a second I was thinking Supreme Court…so 10 white and the last one can be shared

Shirleyknuts
Shirleyknuts
Reply to  Shirleyknuts
3 years ago

I hope this diversity person fixes this

IJ2S
IJ2S
Reply to  Shirleyknuts
3 years ago

Or one of the assistants anyway.

Joetaxpayer
Joetaxpayer
Reply to  Shirleyknuts
3 years ago

100% incompetent, no need to racially profile. We support all dumb ass applicants regardless of race.

Auto Phil
Auto Phil
3 years ago

I’m sure every single person on the city council partakes in other regular life activities outside of the zoom meetings. Dinners out, gatherings with friends and family, dancing on bar tops…

I assure you, they are not holed up in their houses behind a computer screen in fear of Covid in any other situation.

If the state is lifting all restrictions June 15, we know very well that this date does not represent some magical switch. Covid has long been retreating for a while now. The validity of its danger to most of the general public is still questionable at that.

The Covid pandemic ushered in one of the most unlawful and illegal eras of modern times. Duly accepted, in the name of safety. It’s been a white collar Wild West out there, and wannabe cowboys like Marchetti and White aren’t willing to give it up yet.

This town needs an enema. BAD.

J2S
J2S
Reply to  Auto Phil
3 years ago

Will the sewage and treatment plant be able to handle the results of an enema that will release so much at once?

Merry & Bright
Merry & Bright
Reply to  Auto Phil
3 years ago

Warning though. If the enema is done, make sure that you are not at Belanger Park and in need of a bathroom! While walking the track decided to take a look into the bathrooms just in case one was ever needed. Trust me, you would be better off crapping yourself than utilizing one of the bathrooms! They are absolutely putrid, bird feces all over the walls, and should be condemned, talk about COVID germs! There is no excuse for this type of filth in Pittsfield’s public parks! Where is our dynamic and vibrant political leaders, does the Mayor ever leave her safety cocoon and take a look at the City she is suppose to be managing? What about the the Parks Commission! Where is our Public Works Department? Does the Health Department checked these facilities out? Once again exactly where are our tax monies going!!??

Markus Aureluis
Markus Aureluis
Reply to  Merry & Bright
3 years ago

The parks department will soon be replaced with the much needed Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Pittsfield is such a KKK breeding ground, the mayor is getting out in front of this issue, like the true leader she is.

Not sure if you read in the Eagle, but Sweet Pete White, is a strong advocate for the DEI. He was born with spina bifida and this office will help people like him. Does Sweet Pete even know what “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” are? I can safely say that the DEI would not fill a department head position with a white male with spina bifida. Not that I would wish this or any medical condition on anybody, but Sweet, the DEI is designed to hire people who don’t look like you. Are you really that dense Sweet Pete?

BTW, any word on the “houseless” condition you’ve now been working on for 15 months Sweet? Or will that just be a campaign talking point for you? Talk about everything you’ll do, but actually mean you will check with mommy (Linda) before you can go out and play Sweet Pete?

Ron Kitterman
Ron Kitterman
3 years ago

Time to stop living in fear and remove the masks, if the public doesn’t attending the meetings and the city council and department heads are vaccinated keep the masks on if you must, seems more like virtue signaling than following the science to me.

Cuffed Linx
Cuffed Linx
Reply to  Ron Kitterman
3 years ago

If you can’t do it with fear then do it scared.

The kidd
The kidd
Reply to  Ron Kitterman
3 years ago

The sad part Ron is that until some one holds these clowns accountable the same thing will continue. It seems the pandemic has become very convenient for those that do not want to work. Take a close look at both the DAs office as well as the courts. They have a backlog of over 3700 cases, and crime is out of control. Sad.

Pat
Pat
3 years ago

Who is really looking out for the best interests of Russia and not America? Biden is with his allowing the Russian pipeline while shutting down the American pipeline. President Trump did everything he could to sabotage this Russian pipeline, but the phonies on the far left want to allow it. This is a decision from Biden that has impeachment written all over it. Biden is obviously in collusion with Russia.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/biden-to-waive-sanctions-on-firm-building-russian-pipeline-into-germany-report

Annulgas
Annulgas
Reply to  Pat
3 years ago

Do you think he will invite Putin into the Oval Office like Trump did?

Shirleyknuts
Shirleyknuts
Reply to  Annulgas
3 years ago

Don’t worry Joe has his backside and Kamala has the front and Putin is singing yippee y yeah!!!

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Annulgas
3 years ago

Only to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Donald Trump knew what he was doing. Biden is just lost and it’s beyond sad that he is our president.

Markus Aureluis
Markus Aureluis
Reply to  Pat
3 years ago

You know this is truly Obama’s 3rd term. Look at Xiden’s appointees. Most are holdovers from Barry’s last term.

Not only was Barry know for starting the war on the police, but he was very weak on foreign policy.

Xiden is continuing the war against the police. And his foreign policy is even worse than Barry’s and Carter’s, if you can even believe that.

Last edited 3 years ago by Markus Aureluis
The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Pat
3 years ago

As you know Pat Putin kept Trump very close because he told Trump I have all the weird stuff you did here on tape.

Milt Prune
Milt Prune
Reply to  The school committee
3 years ago

TSC, you are dynamite. When is Dan going to let you write a guest column?

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Pat
3 years ago

Trumps best friend and sdvisor with Hannity is Putin.Putin shut down the east coast pipeline

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
3 years ago

Hello Alan Chartock,

Re: https://theberkshireedge.com/i-publius-another-casablanca/ 

From what I understand about Donald Trump’s politics after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden is that his anti-democratic actions are more about strategies for the Republican Party than establishing a fascist U.S. state. The Republican Party sees Donald Trump’s politics as a way to build upon his large base of supporters to gain majorities in U.S. Congress in the 2022 midterm elections and retake the White House in the 2024 presidential election. When Representative Liz Cheney was ousted from her House leadership position, it was a strategy to make an example of her for opposing Trump’s “Big Lie” that he won the 2020 presidential election. When state governments passed voter suppression laws, it was a strategy to build support for Trump’s Republican Party in 2022 and 2024. When state government’s passed laws to overturn abortion rights, and the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case to overturn Roe v. Wade, it is and will be a strategy to build support for Trump’s Republican Party in 2022 and 2024. I hope it will fail, but Trump succeeded in 2016.

Adolf Hitler wrote books nearly one hundred years ago in the 1920s where he admired the U.S.A. for our country’s systemic racism, including the racist use of eugenics. Adolf Hitler wrote that the U.S. government’s racist immigration laws that target Italians and Jews from entering the U.S.A. was what he wanted to do in Germany. Adolf Hitler modeled Nazi Germany, in part, after the U.S.A. because we defeated Germany in World War One as an industrialized, wealthy and racist country. Let us not forget our country’s real history in favor of Hollywood propaganda movies.

After World War Two, the U.S.A. entered continuous wars through our time in 2021 where the U.S. government killed millions upon millions of foreign people. The U.S. government overturned foreign democratic governments and became allies with authoritarian states when it was in our national and economic interests. The U.S. government built a military industrial complex where the U.S.A. is the top exporter of military weapons in the World. After the Soviet Union collapsed in the early-1990s, the U.S. government quickly took the Russian government’s market share in exporting military weapons. The U.S. government fights in proxy wars that create humanitarian crises around the world. My point is that even after the U.S. government defeated Adolf Hitler’s Nazi German regime, the U.S.A. today would still be a model for Adolf Hitler to admire 100 years later in 2021.

Lastly, let us not forget that it was Donald Trump who confronted Joe Biden about Joe Biden’s long and ugly history of racist politics over Joe Biden’s nearly 5 decades as a career politician in the Swamp. Also, Donald Trump confronted Hillary Clinton four years prior in 2016 about her history of racist politics when she was First Lady in the 1990s. I will never support Donald Trump in politics, but let us call a spade and spade!

Best wishes,

Jonathan A. Melle

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
3 years ago

Spoken like a true Marxist.
You voted for both Biden & Clinton, two of the most racist living politicians.
Liz Cheney, like her father, is an avowed globalist as are most Democrats and many Republicans who oppose the America First Trump policies.
It is clear to me that those who are opposed to MAGA actually support the destruction of our freedom and sovereignty in favor of socialism/marxism and one-world authoritarian government. Pathetic.

Shirleyknuts
Shirleyknuts
3 years ago

Have only heard one councilor try to save some money for the tax paying Kapanski’s, where is everyone else? Unfortunately talking to people it doesn’t sound like things will be changing anytime soon. Hoping someone out there with a vision and fiscal smarts can come in and whip this city into shape! Unfortunately I don’t think I will see it in my lifetime, glad the kids moved away!

Pat
Pat
3 years ago

Lots of violence across the country against Jewish people after far left politicians are putting down Israel and seemingly siding with the terrorist organization Hamas in the current conflict. Ironically just last week the far left media ran daily stories about attacks against Asians in this country, but is ignoring the attacks against the Jewish people. Our prejudiced media can’t admit that attacking both groups is wrong since the far left narrative doesn’t side with Israel.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/jewish-family-miami-antisemitic-gun

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
3 years ago
The school committee
The school committee
3 years ago

Republicans still believe Trump is their traitor insurectionist leader.So the entire 73 million voter must also believe Trump is their future race leader.White supremacy is what they believe in…..The terror of Trump has not gone away.Trump ordered the insurectionist to bury any investigation into what they have done on 1/6/2021 the day the Melting pot of our mom and dads goes up against white power fascist.I thing fascism is winning.Ask yourself what role your Christianity is playing in killing this democracy.

Milt Prune
Milt Prune
Reply to  The school committee
3 years ago

You are just so clever.Thanks for this wonderful post.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
3 years ago

Remember Ashli being murdered by Pelosi’s goon.

Shirleyknuts
Shirleyknuts
Reply to  Acute Angina
3 years ago

Wonder who controls the speaker….do you think China?

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Shirleyknuts
3 years ago

Fox media is pounding the.China China China..Chicago Chicago Chicago…Border Border Border….
Ivanka went to China when Dopey became the democratically elected President with 3 million less votes than the most hated woman in Fox media world to get her 7 patents..not one person on this board admits to watching Fox for billionaires channel or the white Russian propaganda loop delivery.